A new campaign called Don't Get Pinched was created to ensure crabbing rules are followed.Mobile users tap here to watch videoThis year's long, cold winter not only affected farming, it also affected blue crabs in the Chesapeake Bay."Adults crabs are very susceptible to winter mortality, to winter kill, and we estimate in the Maryland part of the Chesapeake Bay last year that we lost between 20 and 30 percent of our adult crabs," said Lynn Fegley, with the Department of Natural Resources.In an effort to protect the crab population this season and in the future, Department of Natural Resources police will increase efforts to enforce all crabbing regulations."We will be doing night surveillance. We'll be making early-morning patrols. We'll be going through the catch of our commercial and recreational boaters involving crabbing to check for undersized crabs. We'll be checking for females being brought in illegally," NRP Superintendent Col. George F. Johnson IV said.The low number of female crabs in the bay is cause for concern and part of the reason for the stepped-up enforcement. The state wants to make sure the female crab population stays at a healthy level to ensure the future of the crab population in the bay."We are working very closely with our partners in Virginia and in the Potomac River to extend some more protection for those female crabs as they get ready to spawn and create the next generation of crabs," Fegley said.Link: Maryland blue crab guidelines

ANNAPOLIS, Md. —

A new campaign called Don't Get Pinched was created to ensure crabbing rules are followed.

This year's long, cold winter not only affected farming, it also affected blue crabs in the Chesapeake Bay.

"Adults crabs are very susceptible to winter mortality, to winter kill, and we estimate in the Maryland part of the Chesapeake Bay last year that we lost between 20 and 30 percent of our adult crabs," said Lynn Fegley, with the Department of Natural Resources.

In an effort to protect the crab population this season and in the future, Department of Natural Resources police will increase efforts to enforce all crabbing regulations.

"We will be doing night surveillance. We'll be making early-morning patrols. We'll be going through the catch of our commercial and recreational boaters involving crabbing to check for undersized crabs. We'll be checking for females being brought in illegally," NRP Superintendent Col. George F. Johnson IV said.

The low number of female crabs in the bay is cause for concern and part of the reason for the stepped-up enforcement. The state wants to make sure the female crab population stays at a healthy level to ensure the future of the crab population in the bay.

"We are working very closely with our partners in Virginia and in the Potomac River to extend some more protection for those female crabs as they get ready to spawn and create the next generation of crabs," Fegley said.